In November, HBO launched a series on HBO.com and HBO OnDemand called Ring Life. It’s an incredibly well done narrative series about up-and-coming boxers with compelling life stories. It’s done in the real, raw style that HBO documentary coverage is known for.
It’s time HBO stepped-up and did the same type of documentary-style, reality series for stand-up comedy. The parallels between boxing and stand-up comedy are too many to list in this article, but what is evident to most is the solo journey taken by intriguing personalities to “making it” in a profession that has a one in a million shot of success.
The series needs to be raw, gritty, depressing, and hopeful all at the same time; because that’s what the life of a stand-up comedian is. It needs to be in the clubs, in the greenroom, on the road, at the meetings, at the auditions, and in the hotel rooms at the end of the night. It needs to be there when a comedian bombs or does a shit gig in Buffalo, NY. And it needs to be there when a comedian sells out the Gibson.
We have all been tainted by comedy reality series’ that are anything but real. Tourgasm wasn’t real. Last Comic Standing isn’t real. That stupid Pauley Shore show on Showtime shouldn’t even be mentioned. There have been other online attempts such as Hellgig America on Spike.com, but they are not the quality production that is necessary for people to sit and watch.
I am convinced that HBO is the singular media outlet that can pull this off successfully. Comedy Central censors and that will destroy what is real about comedy. I would love to see it on HBO itself, but maybe it’s a project for HBO Labs to see if the content is distributable across multiple platforms. I will say though that it should be done by the same team that does Ring Life.
HBO is the undisputed leader in boxing coverage and in my opinion needs to start taking steps to becoming the undisputed leader in comedy.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Personally I think Immortal Caesar: Life of a Pro Boxer is a much more compelling and well told story as far as internet video series goes. It would be very interesting to see what kind of comedy show someone like HBO could pull off though.
agree with you on your post.
I can provide plenty of “shit gig” examples if HBO likes.